Improvement in packings for steam-engines



A. VIVARTTAS. Packing for Steam-Engines.

No. 206,695. Patented Aug. 6,1878

Fig-1 W1 messes [We n10 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALOHA VIVARTTAS, ()FNEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND MARK R. HAMILTON, OF SAME PLACE.

iMPROVEMENT IN PACK lNGS FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,695, dated August 6,1 78; application filed July 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALOHA VI'VARTIAS, of the city and county of New York, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Packings for Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to packing and makin g tight joints in which the parts are required to be movable one upon the other, as in steam-pistons, piston and valve rods, and similar uses.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the stuffingbox of a steam-cylinder with a part of the piston-rod, and showing the packing in position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the stut'fing-box of a steam-cylinder with a part of the piston-rod,

and showing the packing also in section. Fig. 3 is an end view of the packin Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a steam-cylinder, showing the arrangement of the packing for a double-actin g piston. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of anotherforni of packin Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a packing, showing the method of reenforcing the same. Fig. 7 is asectional view of the packing, showing a method of arming the same. Fig.8 is a sectional view of another form of the packin This invention consists of an elastic packing, A, having three portions, arranged as follows: first, a straight or cylindrical spiral, B, made to close by its own elasticity upon the piston-rod E, or between the heads of piston H, following and fitting its surface, however unequal, from wear or other causes, without leak or excess of friction; second, a straight spi *al, 0, made to expand by its own elasticity and fill the stuffing-box F or cylinder F, making a tight joint under the same variable conditions 5 and, third, a tapered or helical spiral portion, 1), which connects the parts B and O, permitting, by its elasticity and the flexibility of its coils in sliding upon each other, the freedom of motion required by the parts 13 and 0 independently of each other, and without causing such a separation of the parts as shall permit leakage in any place.

It is obvious that this packing may be made of one or more springs, and that the section of the springs may be varied, as shown in Fig. 5,

or otherwise, without affecting the general points mentioned.

This packing may he made of some material having very little friction, as soft metal, and the part B re-enforced by an exterior spring, b, of steel or other very elastic material, and the part 0 similarly re-enforced by an internal spring, 0, as shown in Fi 6; or the packing may be made of a substantial and durable spring, B C D, armed in B and upon 0 with soft or frictionless material, as b or c, as shown in Fig. 7, while in either case the part D will need no re-enforcin g, as the pressure of the steam in the direction of the arrow Gr tends to keep the coils closed one upon the other. Another form of this packing is shown in Fig. 8, where, by inserting in'the helical part D a fiat ring or washer, d, the parts I; and C may be returned upon one another in cases where economy of space is a desideratum. This also may be either re-enforced or armed, as described, and also the three portions 1%, and 1') may be secured together, or made separate and independent of each other, the direction of the pressure being shown by the arrow. All of the joints will be kept tight by the pressure without afi'ecting the action of the parts, as described.

This packing may be made of any suitable material, and in some one of its forms may be applied to any case where a movable rod or connection is required to be packed, as rods of pistons, valves, water'gates, pumps, or in chemical manipulations, for which latter case the stuffing-box, rod, and packing may be all made of glass or earthenware. A packing of this kind, of suitable proportions, will operate as a valve, opening to permit the passage of liquids or fluids in one direction through the part D, and closing by pressure in the contrary direction, and when attached to the piston-rod, as of a pump, constitutes a combined piston and valve. A packing of this kind, of suitable proportions, secured to the pistonrod will make a piston of variable diameter, fitting and working smoothly, and without leakage, in a tapered cylinder, or, conversely,

on a tapered rod.

The ordinary kinds of packing, where the ful brake. This is a common trouble. Also, a

piston-rod naturally wears most rapidly in the middle portion of its length, and a packing of the ordinary kind, that is just fitted to be tight-that is, without leak upon the center of the rod-is unnecessarily tight at the ends thereof, acting as a brake applied at each end of the stroke, causing both loss of power and irregularity of motion, or, if the packing be fitted to the ends of the rod, it leaks when upon the center of it, while with the packing herein described the engineer cannot, by any inadvertence, increase the friction, and differences in the diameter of a worn rod are accounted for in the elasticity of the packing, and cannot be felt, thus completely obviating the difficulties mentioned.

Having thus described the nature of my inrention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The packing A, composed of two parts, either of which may be radially contracted or expanded independently of the other, as and for the purposes described.

2. The packing A, consisting of the parts B and 0, combined with the helix or tapered spiral 1), as described, when the convolutions of D, by overlapping, form between themselves a tight or impervious joint, substantially as herein shown and. set forth.

3. The packing A, consisting of the spirals B and C, as herein shown and described.

4. The combination, with the packing A, constructed as shown, of the reenforcement c or b, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the packing A, constructed as shown, of the arming c or b, as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of the packing A, as described, with the stutfing-box F and rod E, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. The combination of the packing A, as described, with the cylinder F and piston-rod E, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. The combination of the packing A, as dc scribed,with the plate d, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. The packing A, having the parts 13 and 0, combined with the helix D, as described, when, by the elasticity and flexibility of D, the necessary freedom of motion is permitted to the parts It and (.l, as herein shown and de scribed.

ALOHA VIVA ltTTA S.

in presence of- ]-1. '1. TAoGAno, Geo. W. TENNY. 

